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Story: Aviation

Flight attendants

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Flight attendants

From 1948 onwards there were ground attendants to assist travellers at all main airports, but NAC planes did not carry flight attendants until 1956. After that they were a familiar sight in their distinctive uniforms. This photograph marked the transition in July 1966 from the black hostess uniform (right) to colourful outfits.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP-Transport -Aviation-NAC

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Peter Aimer, Aviation – Onward and upward: 1940s to 1960s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6606/flight-attendants (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Peter Aimer, published 2 March 2009.